New Jersey has never been a model of good governance. Long before Robert Menendez was indicted for allegedly taking gold bars and other bribes, the state was a sty of corruption, backroom deals, and more antidemocratic behavior. But voters in the state have never seen anything like what is transpiring now. Tammy Murphy, the state’s First Lady, is the leading candidate in the Democratic-primary race to replace Menendez in the U.S. Senate — never mind that she has never held elected office and was a registered Republican for most of her adult life. Murphy is using her proximity to her husband, Phil, to lock up premium placement on county ballots, all but ensuring she’ll win. In this jaw-dropping profile,New York’s Simon van Zuylen-Wood writes, “One elected official tells me, ‘Do I think she’s the best candidate? No. Do I\u202fthink it’s a good look for New Jersey? No. If you’re asking me am I going to vote for her? The answer is no.’ This is a person who has publicly endorsed her.”
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